Self-Guided Wine Tour Through The Perth Hills Region
The Perth Hills region is renowned for its lush greenery, sweeping valleys, and great assortment of scenic lookout points. Driving through the region, you’ll also be able to spot a selection of vineyards dotting the landscape. With the majority of Perth Hills wineries being located in or around Bickley Valley, it’s actually easier than you may think to sample some bottles of Shiraz and other signature wine types produced across this sunkissed region.
For vinophiles who want to experience this often-overlooked Australian wine country for themselves, we’ve prepared our own itinerary that you can either use as a template for your own adventures, or perhaps even follow to a tee.
Here’s the path you should tread when looking to embark on a self-guided wine tour through the warm and sunny Perth Hills region.
Day 1: Bickley Valley Wine Tour
If you’re driving from Perth, you’ll want to take Route 41 towards Kalamunda until it takes you into the heart of Bickley Valley. This will be our first stop, as Bickley is home to 4 or 5 vineyards, including the renowned Plume Estate and the Hainault Vineyard and Cellar Door, situated further east and on the way to Perth Observatory.
The Plume Estate Vineyard is a must-visit for those looking to enjoy a gourmet feast alongside their Perth Hills wine. From there, you can drive back into Bickley township to visit Brookside Vineyard and The Packing Shed @ Lawnbrook, two more stunning wineries that also have plenty of culinary delights on offer.
Day 2: Carmel Valley Wine Tour
On Day 2, we’ll be travelling south of Bickley to Carmel Valley, home to Fairbrossen, Tonon Vineyard and Winery, Myattsfield, and Cosham Wines. All of these vineyards are well worth a visit, but if you have limited time, then prioritise visiting Fairbrossen and Tonon Vineyard to the east of Carmel township.
There are also other attractions you may want to visit during your time in the Carmel Valley, including the region’s local orchards, the Carmel Cherry Farm, and some of the Valley’s most popular walking trails. Carmel Tea Rooms is also a must-visit for those who can appreciate a good homemade scone or a decadent cheesecake with a locally produced tea blend.
Day 3: Parkerville & Malmalling Vineyard
When leaving Carmel Valley, we recommend travelling northeast towards Parkerville. This route will see you passing through Mundaring, so the morning of Day 3 is the perfect time to come visit us at the Mundaring Visitor Centre and pick up some brochures to help further enrich your time in Parkerville. Mundaring is also the perfect place to grab a spot of breakfast before you continue on with your journey to Parkerville and to the region’s premier vineyard, Malmalling.
In fact, Malmalling Vineyard will be the only set destination for today’s itinerary, as you can easily spend a day sampling the winery’s boutique bottles, or even enjoying some lunch or dinner at their adjoining restaurant and cafe. Malmalling also offers live music on Sundays, so if you’re planning to enjoy your wine tour on a weekend getaway, we highly recommend slating Parkerville and Malmalling for your Sunday evening.
If you pick up brochures on the way to Parkerville, you’ll also have an abundance of walking trails and other attractions to fill up the rest of your time in this particular region. From the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail to John Forrest National Park and all its many lookout points and picnic spots, there’s plenty to see and do for avid adventurers, so be sure to oil up your bike, dust off your hiking boots, and ensure that you’re ready to move!
Day 4: Swan Valley Wine Tour
On the way back to Perth, you can opt to either travel down Route 50 to Red Hill or travel back to the Mundaring region to jump on the Great Eastern Highway from there, which will take you all the way to Swan Valley through Midland. Both trips have plenty to offer, providing picturesque views and their own trails and other attractions, so feel free to take whichever route piques your interest.
Once you arrive in Swan Valley, however, you’ll find a smattering of vineyards across Perth’s northeastern outskirts to enjoy, including Lancaster Wines and the Riverbank Estate Winery, both situated along the winding Swan River. Feel free to take your time sampling the wares of Swan Valley as well as exploring all that this slice of semi-suburbia has to offer. After all, this particular region is in proximity to metropolitan Perth, so WA residents who want to make a return trip to Swan Valley shouldn’t find this too difficult a feat at all.
If you’re visiting from abroad or interstate, however, then you won’t want to leave Swan Valley without at least enjoying an alfresco wine pairing with a riverside view. The Sittella Vineyard is also a great setting to do just that.
Can you walk or cycle along these self-guided wine tours?
Although wine tours aren’t exactly the same as pub crawls, it’s still important to monitor your alcohol intake if you’re planning to drive from vineyard to vineyard. The roadways across Perth Hills are relatively wide and open, but it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
Thankfully, most of the vineyards across Bickley and Carmel can be accessed by bike, so you can feel free to take Route 41 out of Perth, park your car at your first stop, and then hop on your bike to continue the rest of this leg of the journey from there.
As for Malmalling and the other wineries located outside of Bickley Valley, these are best visited by car. We recommend booking accommodation in Parkerville for those who want to explore this region by bike or want to experience all that Malmalling and its wider locale has to offer in full.
With this itinerary as your guide, you can experience all the unique bottles and flavour profiles that call the Perth Hills region home. Remember to make plenty of space in your car (or your pannier bags) to take a few bottles home with you.
